


Something Wicked This Way Comes

by ShadowsintheFire



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Gen, Nasty Dwarves, Negotiations, Politics, Post-BOFA, Teen! Legolas, Trouble in Mirkwood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-23
Updated: 2014-03-23
Packaged: 2018-01-16 17:18:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1355443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowsintheFire/pseuds/ShadowsintheFire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A delegation of Elves of Mirkwood has come to Erebor for negotiations, possibly the most important one in the last few hundred years. It was supposed to be a time of celebration.</p><p>However, when the elves arrive, it is not Thranduil leading the delegation, but Legolas, barely old or experienced enough to conduct such an important discussion.</p><p>And it shows.</p><p>Now, the dwarrows are outraged at the imagined slight, and the elves keep secrets of their own. Darkness stirs in the very heart of Mirkwood. Legolas is lost, awash in a sea of politics that he has never before been exposed to. </p><p>And Thorin's heart aches every time he sees the crushed expression on the child's face, after a failed delivery, or in the face of united disapproval of the other elves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Wicked This Way Comes

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel to 'For the Love of an Elfling', but you don't need to read that to understand this!
> 
> I just feel so mean to Legolas, sometimes... This will be darker than the previous one, and more political... I hope!
> 
> Hope you guys will enjoy it!
> 
> And as always, do R&R! Every kudo/comment makes my day shine :D

The halls rang with the sound of preparation. Dwarrows littered the confines of the great hall, their excited murmuring gradually growing louder as time passed, and the sun reached its zenith.

This was to be the start of a week-long peace talks between the dwarrows of Erebor and the elves of Mirkwood. For too long, the two peoples had been estranged. The recent Battle of the Five Armies had shown both parties the folly of their feuding.

Thorin sat on the magnificent throne, arkenstone once again gleaming within its perch. His feet were planted firmly on the floor, arms on the armrests. The king was dressed in the richest fabrics, precious gems winking subtly as he shifted. The Royal Guards littered the sides of the hall, all standing at attention, as coutiers assumed their positions, and others melted away deeper into the mountain.

To Thorin, the air seemed heavy, oppressive, weighing down upon his shoulders. So much rested on this meeting - the first in more than a hundred years. The Elves of Mirkwood were sending a delegation to Erebor to discuss, and hopefully, sign a new treaty between their peoples. 

He looked up when a hand was clasped on his shoulder, smiling faintly at Balin, his loyal adviser from young, taking strength from his encouraging gaze.

The doors were thrown open from the outside, and Thorin sat up straighter, face falling into a mask of neutrality. The last time Thorin and the Elvenking had met, they had not parted on good terms. His gaze instantly sought out the elf walking at the head of the group, golden hair shining like pure gold, even without the sunlight to set his hair aflame.

Bloody elves.

Thorin stood, spreading his hands in a gesture of peace and welcome, as the elvish delegation neared the dais, gaze moving to lock with the lead elf's. For an instant, shock spasmed across his features, before the mask slammed down once more.

He was not Thranduil. A burning fury spread through his entire being, and he had to struggle not to clench his hands into fists. Still, he kept a smiling facade upon his face, inclining his head courteously. 

The bloody elf! After so much preparation, so much discussion, he had the nerve not to appear himself? Mahal curse him and all his ilk! All the goodwill he felt had instantly vanished, leaving only icy anger in its place. 

"Welcome, elves of Mirkwood, to Erebor. Our Kingdom rejoices at your arrival, and the peace the treaty will bring to both our peoples."

The elf in front bowed back, a much deeper one than what Thorin had expected from any elf, a hand on his heart, before sweeping it away. 

"Our thanks, Your Majesty. The Elvenking sends his deepest apologies, but he is currently indisposed and is unable to attend the treaty talks. As such, he has sent me in his place, to conduct the negotiations in his stead. Legolas Thranduilion at your service, Your Highness."

Once again, Thorin froze, eyes widening in disbelief, even as the hall buzzed with comments. Legolas? Not the tiny elfling he and his Company had seen in Mirkwood? And at least, he thought dryly to himself, Thranduil had sent him a Prince. Indisposed. Thorin snorted quietly, earning him a reproving look from Balin. Bah! More like lazy to come.

His gaze returned once more to Legolas, now seeing the youthfulness in the elf's slight frame and tiny fidgeting motions. He noted, now that the haze of rage had cleared, the slight trembling in the elf's voice, and a pang of sympathy shot through him. Legolas must have been terrified, coming to Erebor for his first negotiations, most likely.

By Aule, was he even old enough to come? The last time he had seen the child, Legolas had come up to his thigh. The child's forthrightness and spirit had quickly bought him a tiny place in Thorin's heart.

"Indisposed?" one of the dwarrows called out, and all turned to face him.

It was Nadir, one of Thorin's Councilmen, and one he would dearly like to throw off the tip of the Lonely Mountain. He resisted burying his head in his hands.

"The Elvenking could not be parted from his duties long enough to attend the talks? So much for peace," he spat, and this time, it was accompanied by a low murmur of agreement through the room.

Thorin heard Balin's soft exhalation of breath, and when he glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, the older dwarf merely nodded to Legolas with a rather pitying expression on his face. He raised an eyebrow, before turning his gaze back to the Prince. 

Legolas, for his part, had a slightly panicked expression on his face, and kept glancing at the elves behind him, as though begging their guidance on how to respond. Thorin's gut clenched unpleasantly, as none responded, forcing Legolas to face Nadir himself. And by Mahal, the child must have memorised the scripted words, because his words now were anything but politically-savvy.

"Ada- I mean, the Elvenking," he hesitated, cornflower-blue eyes sweeping the room, as though hoping to see a friendly face. "He's - indisposed."

A round of laughter broke out in waves, leaving Legolas to stutter to a halt, ear-tips burning red, and glancing down at the floor, as though hoping for a giant hole to open and swallow him out. 

Thorin did not laugh. He imagined Fili, still so young, yet older than this elf, forced to lead negotiations and command the respect of a hostile race. It set his heart racing, sorrow in his heart for a duty taken up before its time.

"Enough!" Thorin thundered, able to bear it no longer, for now the child had tears in his eyes, sparkling his gems, as he held them in bravely. 

"My apologies, Prince Legolas," he said, unable to stop his voice from softening minutely, at seeing the tremours at wrecked the elf's frame. "We meant no disrespect. You must be weary after such travel. My dwarrows will show you and yours to your chambers for you to refresh yourselves. We will be hosting a banquet to celebrate your arrival at sundown."

Legolas nodded, bravely meeting Thorin's gaze. 

"My thanks, Your Highness," he responded, voice mostly steady, before bowing - too deeply - once more, and following his guides out of the throne room, quickly followed by his elves. 

Thorin sighed heavily, dismissing everybody with a lazy wave of his head. He met Balin's eyes, shaking his head.

The poor lad wouldn't know what he was in for, green as he was with negotiations - dwarven negotiation at that.


End file.
